Of Men and of Angels
by Lrenn
Summary: He came into her life without warning and turned it upside down. With two young boys to care for and a house full of angels, can one woman find the courage to hold onto her faith and love a man who might very well break her heart?


**Chapter One**

"Mama! Look!"

Molly turned her dark brown gaze at the sound of her son's voice. Following the point of his finger, Molly gasped. A man lay slumped over an alley across the street. A stab of pity slashed through her heart as she took in the worn, threadbare trousers and torn shirt. His had no jacket, no socks, no shoes. Someone else must have walked off with them in the night. Molly eyed him. Or, by the looks of dirt that caked his skin, he'd lost his shoes and other garments a long time ago.

Elias tugged at her sleeve. "Are we going to help him too?"

Molly swallowed hard. "Of course, Eli. Of course." She glanced behind her. "Micah!" The boy tore his gaze away from the balloon stand. "Come along."

"We found another stray."

Molly hid a giggle. "Eli, we don't talk about strangers that way." Her admonish gentle, she ruffled the silky black curls that fell over the boy's forehead. She breathed a sigh. "Well, come on. Let's go wake the poor man up and offer him a home."

* * *

Major Judah Hawke jerked awake when a hand jostled his shoulder. With one quick movement he reached for his gun. His hand came up empty. Then it came to him: he was no longer with the 8th infantry, his brother had kicked him out of his townhouse, and last night he had been mugged at knifepoint and robbed of all he had.

Blinking in the sunlight, he heard the gasp of children. He squinted. Three dark shapes stood before him. He ran a vigorous hand over his eyes to try and clear his vision. The shapes slowly focused into an unremarkable woman and two black haired boys. He squinted deeply in the sunlight, his head pounding, but whether from the booze or brawl, he didn't know.

"Sir?" The woman's voice was gentle, soft, but pierced his headache like a nail and hammer. He groaned, squeezed his eyes shut, and slumped unconscious against the brick wall at his back.

Molly shook his shoulder again. "Sir, are you all right? Sir, wake up!" The man looked incredibly pale. Sunlight fell across his face revealing two black eyes and a swollen jaw. Her eyes traveled down the length of him, taking in every tear, every stain. Her gaze lit on a gaping festering wound carved into his calf. She winced. "He's injured," she said to no one in particular. "We must find a doctor." She took a cloth and handed it to Micah with orders to dip it in the fountain in the park across the street.

Her son returned with haste and Molly put the damp cloth to the poor man's head, wiping away the dirt and grime that had accumulated. Beneath the five-day scruff and bruises this stranger was an unremarkable man. His hair was dark with sweat and rain water from the night before, and he smelled awful.

Biting her lip, she considered the situation. The Hope Home didn't have enough money to take in another homeless child of God, to provide medical care. This man was seriously injured. The doctor bills would be high. She tried to stretch the limited funds the Home received from various patrons, but sometimes they barely made it through the month, living day to day.

_Lord, I believe everything happens for a reason. Did you lead me to this man because he needs a home? Do you want me to take him in? Please, give me guidance, Father God. If this is your will, then let it be so. _

Molly opened her eyes, taking a breath. She glanced back down at the man who lay before her. In her heart, she knew, she couldn't refuse this man. If he stayed three hours or three years, the Hope Home would give him a home for as long as he needed. It was the reason she started the home. For men and women like him.

_Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. _

The scripture came to her mind almost immediately. She loved that verse, Matthew 25:40, for she knew that even as she served this wretched looking man, her hands helped and her words encouraged the very flesh and heart of Jesus. By serving this man, she served Jesus and she could do no less than that.

"Eli, sweetheart, come close." The boy did as she bid and she kissed his cheek. "Keep this cloth to the gentleman's forehead while I summon a carriage to help us take him home."

Eli looked up at her with wide green eyes. "Is this another angel?"

Molly smiled, drawing both the boys close for a quick embrace. "Yes. Shall we help him find his wings?"

The boys nodded, gazing at the fallen stranger with innocent eyes, untainted and pure. She knew they would love this man as much as they loved and adored the other 'angels' rescued from the streets of Philadelphia. God would provide. With one last command to stay put, Molly went to find a carriage to take them and their angel home.

* * *

Judah woke with a start, his heart pounding. Sweat poured down his temples and he cried out as fire ran down his leg. His vision blurred, splintering with light. A cool cloth was laid on his forehead and he hissed again as pain exploded in his leg.

"You won't get me, Tyler," he mumbled, his teeth clenched with pain. Someone forced open his mouth and, though he struggled, forced a burning liquid down his throat. "I won't let you," he spat, as the liquid settled in his middle. Blackness threatened to overwhelm him. He fought it, thrashing. He heard a woman cry out and a command from a deep-throated voice. The pain in his leg grew until the blackness was a welcome retreat from pain, from fear. If this was death, Judah prayed it would take him quickly. A moment later, he sighed, letting the blackness settle over him and there was no more.

* * *

Molly held the stranger's large calloused hand in hers, stroking the bruised skin. She glanced over at the man standing beside her. "Is he going to live, Jake?"

The tall, broad-shouldered man nodded. "I think so. You found just him in time, I'd say." He gestured to the bandaged wound tightly around the stranger's calf. "A few more days and the infection might have spread too far. Even so, I don't know if he'll ever walk without a limp after this."

Molly turned to him, putting a hand on his arm. "Thank you, Jake," she said with a calm smile. "You just might have saved his life."

Jake placed his hand over hers. "The good Lord had you bring him here for a reason. Same as you did for me. I couldn't have sat back and ignored a fellow 'angel' in need." He grinned.

Molly gave him a smile of her own. She called all of her boarders angels. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares," she whispered, turning her attention back to the stranger in the bed. "I think he'll live." Her voice resonated with assurance, although whether she was assuring herself or the stranger she did not know.

There was a knock at the door. Jake opened the door, revealing Eli. "Katie burned the biscuits again! There's smoke everywhere!"

Molly gave a soft laugh. "I'll be down in a minute." Eli hurried off. She turned to Jake. "Would you mind staying with our newest 'angel' until dinner? I should go clean up whatever fiasco Katie seems to have created."

Jake offered his hand and she accepted, letting him pull her to her feet. "It would be my pleasure." She tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip on her hand. "You know I'd do anything for you, Molly."

"Thank you, Jake." The look in his eyes sent an unwanted shiver through her chest. Gently, but forcefully, she removed her hand from his. "I'll send one of the boys up to get you when dinner is ready." With one last glance at the stranger, Molly made a swift exit.

* * *

"So, you found another stray."  
"Mama told us not to call him a stray," Eli quipped.

Micah nodded. "He's an angel."

Granny's wise blue eyes crinkled with laughter. "Angel then. You found another angel. What's wrong with this one?"

Molly passed the butter dish to Jake. "I don't know anything about him other than he needed a bath and he had an infected gash on his calf. He's sick out of his mind at the moment. Jake gave him so laudanum and whiskey to help him sleep."

Jake nodded. "I poured all the whiskey Doc would give me on the wound and wrapped it up tight with some liniment. Poor fellow screamed like the dic…" He swallowed his words at the sharp glance from Molly. "He screamed something fierce."

"Hopefully, we treated the infection in time. Jake thinks he'll limp for the rest of his days," Molly added.

"I'll pray for him, Molly."

Molly glanced over at the shy brunette. "Thank you, Katie. I'm sure he'll appreciate that." Molly glanced up to find Jake watching her. She raised a brow, a question in her brown eyes. He just smiled and went back to eating his meal. She turned her attention to Granny. "This meal is great, Granny. Thank you for cooking."

Granny waved away her words. "Ain't nothing. Thursday is always my day to cook. Besides," she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "Katie helped a lot. A few broken plates. Burned biscuits. It was a lovely time!"

Katie blushed, dropping her fork with a clatter.

"Oh, Granny," Molly scolded. "You've embarrassed her." She picked up the younger girl's fork. "Don't worry, Katie. Granny is only poking fun. She doesn't mean it." She turned to Granny. "Katie hasn't been with us that long. She's not used to your wise cracks the way Jake and I are. Please, try to be civilized."

Katie shook her head. "I know she's just teasing. Really." She offered Granny a tentative smile.

Granny gave her one back. "We're kindred spirits, Molly. You don't have to worry about us." She winked at Katie, who smiled back.

The rest of the meal passed without incident. After the dishes were washed and put away, Molly sent her boys off to their room to finish their recitations and reading. Katie sat by the fireplace with a book in hand and Granny went to her room, retiring early for the night. Molly took out the Home's ledgers and took up space at the kitchen table. Jake took a seat on the front porch to smoke a cigar.

This was Molly's favorite time of day. Just before dusk, the world would quiet itself, giving nature room to ignite air with praises. The birds sang their glorious tunes, the trees clapped their branches, moving their leaves in time to the wind's melody, all against the backdrop of a pink and orange sunset.

It was Molly's favorite time on any other day but Friday. Friday she drug out the ledgers. Friday she tried to figure out how she would pay that month's bills. Friday…She hated Friday. The big red book seemed heavier each week. The description seemed accurate, Molly thought, as it held all their futures.

What would she do if she couldn't pay the bills? What would she do if the Hope Home was forced to close its doors? She couldn't send her angels back where she found them.

She didn't know where Granny came from. Molly didn't even know the old woman's real name. Molly found her sitting alone on a park bench in tattered rags, eating moldy bread. Granny had been with the Hope Home ever since. The old woman had no living family that Molly knew of and no means of making a living.

Then there was Jake. He had been with the home three years, and was as much a part of the Hope Home as Molly. He had come to the Home wrathful and addicted to liquor. Even now, Molly knew, he still struggled with old habits. She couldn't send him out on the streets, where no one trusted him. Where it would be easy to fall back into old habits.

And Katie. Poor Katie. Just thinking about the newest member of their group brought tears to Molly's eyes. The young woman had been sold into prostitution at the terribly young age of seven. It was only by God's grace and perfect timing that Molly had found Katie weeping by the docks, a knife to her wrists, ready to end her life. Six months later, Molly believed Katie had finally found the peace she had been searching for. The guilt was still there, the shame, but Katie was learning to deal with them in a godly manner. She was learning how to love herself as well as others.

Molly was so proud of her boarders. Katie with her quiet strength. Jake with his headstrong determination. Granny for her cantankerous but wise ways. This was her family. She had to take care of them.

And of course, her boys. Eli and Micah were growing up without a father, without grandparents, in a home of ruffians and outcasts. She had doubts about her ability to raise them. One would have been hard enough to raise, but God had seen fit to bless her with twins and she would give her very life to see them happy and loved.

What was she to do with the stranger in the upstairs bedroom? He was sick, injured. Was he running from the law? Did he owe someone money? What was his story? For a moment, Molly felt an inexplicable fear. She'd never do anything to endanger this family, but how did she stop outside forces from penetrating her defenses?  
"Molly?"

She jumped. "Oh, Jake. I'm sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

His face hidden in shadow, Molly heard the smile in his voice when he replied, "Ledgers again?"

She nodded with a sigh. "Yes." She ran a finger down the line of figures. "I don't know how we're going to make it, Jake. There's just no money."

Jake took a few steps to kneel before her. He took her hand. "Molly, what it you're always telling me?"

"Clean up after yourself?"

Jake grinned. "Besides that."

Molly bit her lip, playing with a stray strand of hair that had fallen out of the bun at the nape of her neck. "God will provide," she whispered.

He nodded in affirmation. "That's right. God will provide. We don't know when, we don't know how. It could be just seconds before the payment is due. But God will provide. I believe it."

Molly tried to hide a smile. "Who taught you to be so wise?"

He shrugged. "A noble woman with a heart of gold." He ran his thumb lightly over her wrist. "Molly…"

"Jake," she cut in. "I can't…"

His dark eyes smoldered in the twilight. "We've been through a lot together." Molly nodded, holding his gaze. "You took me in when no one else would and saw me through some of the darkest days of my life." He paused, raising a hand to stroke her cheek. "You know me better than I know myself and you haven't judged me for it. How can you say there can be nothing between us?"

Molly's hear broke for him. He so desperately needed a woman to care for, to love. But that woman wasn't her. She knew in her heart that she would never be that woman. "Jake, I do love you, but not in the way you want me to."

He watched her a moment, pursing his lips. It was clear he wanted to say more. Slowly, Molly pulled her hand away. "I need to go check on our newest angel. Excuse me." She stood, placed a reassuring hand on Jake's shoulder and headed for the upstairs bedroom where the stranger lay.


End file.
